


looking for pieces of broken hourglass

by a_mind_at_work (Madame_Marauder)



Series: this whole damn city [8]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Gen, Multi, Other, Yall it's here, the revolution is starting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-15 22:08:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15422637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame_Marauder/pseuds/a_mind_at_work
Summary: in which six revolutionaries make themselves known- some more subtly than othersaka: I figured out what to do with Burr.





	looking for pieces of broken hourglass

 

   The screen flickers to life.

   Eliza holds her breath.

   The water purification center slowly grinds to a halt.

   A static hum fills the air, and it's a heartpounding few moments before Washington's voice fills the air. 

   “Our city is broken,” he says, and images start flashing across the screen. The overdone opulence of Red fills the frame for a moment, ladies in intricate dresses and men in fine suits, gold-encrusted ornaments and massive feasts. And then it turns to Purple, to starved children with ragged clothes, crumbling streets and empty market stalls.

     She can hear the workers murmuring.

     “We have been taught that it is only right that our City be ruled by the Red, by the Golden,” the video continues. It takes her a moment to place who's speaking now; it's Alexander, tone cold with anger. “We have been taught that the Red and Gold rule has lasted since the dawn of the City. We have been taught that we are unworthy of any level higher than where we were born. But we have been taught  _ lies _ .”

     The images of Red and Purple fade, replaced by a grainy video. “This is the true history of the City; what we are about to show you is unedited footage of the coup that Red forces staged in 2175. Two centuries later, and the truth will finally be revealed,” Franklin adds.

     They play the video of Uppington. They play security footage from Blue, of the Redcoats dragging leaders away, and from Green, taking over the food distribution centers. They play the video of a girl on Yellow being silenced. They play a shaky holocam recording of workers on Orange who knew too much being threatened into staying quiet. They play the last-ever tape of the Council in session.

      “This is not the City. It is our City,” Washington declares. “And we will not let ourselves and our families continue to suffer.”

      “We’re gonna fight for our right to be treated equally!” John, determined and furious.

      The workers on the floor are muttering louder still.

      “You know the truth,” Gil urges. “You know that every level is meant to be equal. And now, so does every other person in this whole damn City. And we're going to make it happen.”

      “It will not be easy,” says a woman, and it takes a long second for Eliza to recognize her own sister's voice. “It will not be safe,” Peggy continues. “But it must  _ be _ .”

      Silence reigns. 

      “As one, we are weak,” Abigail announces. “But as many, we are strong.”

      “We will not be crushed under the weight of the Golden and their Red underlings any longer!” Patrick roars. “We have sought our peaceful solutions, and have failed. But I would rather die free than live in oppression. As for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

       The interlocking circles that is the symbol of the resistance appears onscreen. “Blue Sky. Yellow Sun. Ruby. Sunflower. Glacier. Little Dog. You know what to do.”

       Eliza breathes, and raises her arm to expose the circles tattooed there. “Rise up.”

       The young woman with green eyes is the first to step away from her station and stand in front of Eliza, looking up at her with a faint smile, but she is not the last.

 

       There is a swirling yellow sun painting the doors of the boutique, and it's not long before a girl comes spinning in, breathless, and pulls her aside. It's one of the Livingston girls, the quiet one.

       “It's you,” Katherine gasps, but she's bright enough to be quiet. “It's  _ you _ ,  _ you're _ Yellow Sun.”

       Peggy pulls away. “I'm sure it's not,” she replies, with a meaningful look to the girl and a signal to Dolley behind her back. “You might need to sit down, come on.”

       Katherine nods, and follows her to the room they've stripped free of cameras.

      She's the first, but she's not the last. Thankfully, most are subtle.

      “I'm looking for an anniversary gift for my wife,” the man says. “We've both heard wonderful things about the work you do.”

      Dolley smiles. “Well, thank you. What would you happen to be looking for?”

      “Something bright and citrusy. Energetic, and sunny, almost.”

      “And the color for the bottle?”

      “Preferably yellow.”

 

      “That was your brother,” the Pearl demands. “In the stream. Wasn't it, Ruby?”

      Maria smiles slightly. “What of it, Pearl?”

      The girl hesitates, then exhales and relaxes slightly. The pearlescent fabric woven into her braids seems to ripple in the back room’s dim lighting. “I wanted to know for certain that one of us was actually involved in this. From Purple, I mean.”

      “Oh, Alex is involved,” she agrees. Pearl gives her a sharp, feral grin, and Maria tilts her head. “What is it?”

      “Let us get involved,” Pearl replies, and opens the door to their dressing room. Sapphire is coiling Topaz’s hair into an intricate bun, Opal and Citrine draped across the floor, an e-cig dangling between Jade’s fingers. “We all want to help.”

      Jade curls her lips in a mockery of a smile. “And we all know that there has got to be profit in this. Look at you.”

      “The resistance controls Green, not Gold. They pay their contacts well,” Maria admits carefully. “Simply in a different unit in some cases. Bartering is acceptable payment.”

       Citrine looks up from the sparkle she's daubing across Opal’s dark shoulders. “We all see what your younger siblings look like, Ru. And we can't be too jealous, because you have an opportunity that involves a lot of risk. But each of us are willing to take our own risks. I would assume you're passing information you get from clients, and you're not going to need six of us doing that. There has to be something you do need us for, though.”

       “I've been waiting for you to ask,” Maria says, and locks the door behind her. “So, how much would you say that you know about, say, the human body?”

 

      “This is insane,” Alexander mutters. “How is Red so clueless? Nearly all of Purple, most of Blue, half of Green, and a good share of Yellow have just started an unofficial revolution, and all they've done is run more propaganda.”

      “This is good news for us,” John corrects. “Nobody's started riots in the streets, so they're not taking it as a serious threat. Pink Clouds and Finch have done their thing. It's our turn to do ours.”

      Gil rolls his eyes, and tosses them each a datastick. “You're overdramatic, both of you.”

      Alexander shrugs, and shoves John's feet off the edge of the table. “What are we doing, then, oh responsible one?”

     “Getting ready to do something that should've been done a long time ago,” Gil replies. “Not that the Reds would ever do it willingly. We aren't doing it immediately, there's prep work to do first, but we're starting the setup.”

      John raises an eyebrow, and watches as Alexander's eyes go wide. “Which is what?” he asks carefully.

      “Fixing the Lower capsules.”

 

    He doesn't bother to get ice in his drink, and the pretty girl from the next desk over smiles at him. “Why do you never put ice in your water, Aaron? I can't imagine it's pleasant to have a room temperature drink.”

    Aaron glances over to her and smiles. “I've been told I'm chilly enough on my own.”

    She laughs, but something in her eyes says that she understands exactly what he's said.

    The next day when they hand him their paperwork to file, there are red feathers on her nails, and pink clouds on her friend's.

 

    “Jefferson,” comes a voice, and he turns to see the woman with the office down the hall standing in his doorway. “I know you're involved in this new little mess.”

     He'd be lying if that sentence didn't terrify him. “I've no idea what you mean, Ms. Skelton.”

      She closes the door, and lifts a hand to show a crude device in her palm. It's like the monitor scramblers that the Golden Ones use, but less streamlined, or those that the resistance has built, but without the easy concealment. “Thomas. Please.”

     “Martha, you have no idea what we're in for. The Council will fall before the next year turns by.”

      A laugh. “Good.”

      Thomas cracks a smile. “Isn't it?”

**Author's Note:**

> Yall please leave kudos and comments they are my l i f e b l o o d
> 
> main tumblr: @discount-satan  
> writing Tumblr where you can bug me to update more than once a month: @littlelionroar


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